118 PRINCIPLES OF POULTRY-HOUSE CONSTRUCTION 



Excavate the soil inside of the house to a depth of at least eight 

 inches below the top of the foundation wall, place a layer of crushed 

 stone, cinders, or coarse gravel about eight inches thick over the 

 bottom, tamping thoroughly and leaving it level. Over this place 

 a rough coat of concrete about three inches thick, made by mixing 

 one part of good cement with three parts of fine sharp sand and 

 five parts of coarse gravel or cinders. Put one thickness of tarred 

 building paper over the rough coat while fresh, lapping and cement- 

 ing the seams, nailing it down every two feet with roofing nails, 

 letting the heads stick out about a quarter of an inch to hold the 

 finish coat. One inch of finish coat should be laid over the paper. 

 This is composed of one part of cement to three parts of coarse sand. 



Material for Framing. — The frame should be built of material 

 large enough to give rigidity to the building, and yet not so heavj^ 

 as greatly to increase the cost. For a laying house twenty feet or 

 less in width, 2x6 inch lumber doubled should be used for sills, 

 firmly bolted to the foundation. Hemlock, yellow pine, chestnut, 

 or other material of equal grade may be used. The lumber used 

 depends upon the kind which is the cheapest in the vicinity. For 

 studding use 2x4 inch pieces, and double these for corner posts. 

 The plates are l)est constructed of 2 x 4 inch material doubled, 

 spiking them together and l)reaking joints. One great advantage 

 of double sills and plates is the possibility of strengthening weak 

 places and of correcting any crooked or warped timbers that might 

 be used. For rafters use 2x6 inch material for anything greater 

 than ten-foot spans, 2x4 inch being sufficiently strong for any- 

 thing under that length. For a purlin or girder in a wide house 

 2x6 inch material is used. For all light partitions 2x3 inch 

 material is heavy enough, and this may be laid flat. The rafters 

 and studding should be placed not more than two feet apart, — 

 better, sixteen inches. If the outside boards run up and down, the 

 studding may be six feet apart, with 2x4 inch intermediates 

 parallel with the sill (Fig. 84). 



Walls and Partitions. — A necessary feature in the construction 

 of walls is to have them tight, to eliminate the danger of drafts. 

 One of the best materials which can be used is tongue-and-groove 

 boards, securely driven together. It is not well to use boards 

 greater than eight inches in width, as they are apt to warp, and 

 when they dry out leave open spaces. If siding boards are used, 

 the lap or " novelty " siding makes tight walls, leaving a smooth 

 inside wall. If shingles are used on the outside of the walls, a 



